Friday, October 26, 2007

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Each member of the Sacramento State men’s basketball team and coaching staff donated their time and visited patients at Shriners Hospital for Children in Sacramento this Wednesday Oct.24th at 6:30 p.m.

This will mark the sixth year in a row the team has spent time at Shriners Hospital visiting patients. In years past, members of the squad have also read to children and spent time at both Caleb Greenwood Elementary and Jefferson Elementary, as well as the ASI Children’s Center on the Sacramento State campus.

Sacramento State, which began practicing on Oct. 12, opens play with a home exhibition game against Cal State Maritime on Monday, Nov. 5, at 7:05 p.m.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

The devastating fires which have afflicted Southern California in the past two days cannot have escaped your notice. It is too early to know of any losses sustained by our members and our lodges, but we will be surveying our lodges soon to determine what assistance might be needed. In the meantime, this is an opportunity to truly demonstrate the meaning of Brotherly Love as Masons.

Undoubtedly many of you are already helping in any way that you can, perhaps through making your home available to refugees, or working with community relief groups who are helping those temporarily displaced by the fires. If you have not yet done so, why not offer your help to the local agencies who are responding to the disaster? In the early stages of a disaster people are needed more than money. And as Masons we can offer our personal help now. As Grand Master of Masons in California I call upon each of you to do what you can to respond to this emergency, and to demonstrate that we truly understand the meaning of Brotherly Love when it is most needed.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

KERN RIDE: Noble Wayne reported on the October 14th, 2007 ride. Five members and two guests rode. The course was up 395, up Nine Mile Cyn. and over Sherman Pass and down to the Kern River – lunch at McNally’s and then home via the lover Kern River. It was a great ride.

GUIDE DOG RIDE: Noble Bob reported that it was a successful ride – about 100 miles long. This ride was sponsored by Glendale Hog Chapter. Glendale Hog has been very supportive of the Shrine Hospital.

TOY RIDE: Nobles Bob & Jay are putting a “Toy Ride” to the Midnight Mission. The Mission has strong Masonic ties. We need clothes, toys. Also, we need raffle prizes from restaurants, stores or others. More details to follow.

Paso Robles Parade: Noble Bob reported that we had seven bikes in the parade and that the Motor Patrol received lots of attention at the review stands.

WITH MORE DISASTERS AROUND THE WORLD, RED NOSE RESPONSE IS NEEDED MORE THAN EVER!

Red Nose Response is needed right now with our State of California in a state of emergency. Those Red Nose Response clowns, or any clowns can now get involved and assist in regards to the fires in Southern California.

Contact your local Red Cross to assist. Tell them you are Red Nose Response and want to help out. What do they need you to assist with? Yes, as Red Nose Response we normally put on our red noses and BIG clown shoes and go into the disaster shelters that have been put up by the areas that have the fires. We are there to listen to the evacuated person(s), to lend a “shoulder to lean on” for them, and just to be there for support. Sometimes they feel so devastated and alone (say, their house burned to the ground) they do NOT want comedic relief. And other times some of them, especially the children, want “clowning around”.

But now, in Malibu as an example, the majority of the disaster shelters that have been set up, majorities of the people are not staying in them but have been going to friends and relatives to stay. One man had a number of motels in the Los Angeles area and he was on television telling people that have been evacuated to contact him and he would give them rooms for ONE DOLLAR per night for as long as they have to stay. There are still good people around – SIGH!

So in many of the fire riddled areas, the shelters are just being used as a sort of command post where the evacuated people are going just to fill out paperwork, and/or to get whatever information that they need and then they go stay with family and friends.

But help may be needed in the shelters helping people with the filling out of the forms, and whatever else is needed for them when they arrive. Or the Red Cross offices may need assistance in their office. I am at a local Red Cross office imputing the information on the forms that have been sent to this Red Cross office into a special database in regards to the fires. Many people have to be on “the front lines” and will do nothing less than that. And many people think that imputing information into a database is beneath them. Some people cannot lower themselves to do this “job.” Thus, when asked softly if I would mind doing this job (reluctantly asking me no less as I am a clown), I jumped at it and happily accepted immediately as it seemed that nobody wanted to lower themselves to do that job. Heah, it is one way of helping out in this disaster.

My parents always taught me that when I offer to help when people are needed, I should do whatever is needed at the time no matter how large or small, important or minuscule the job may be. So basically STEP UP TO THE PLATE and call your local Red Cross and ask how you can assist in regards to the fires. RED NOSE RESPONSE needs your help with the fire disasters. PLEASE MAKE TIME TO HELP DURING OUR STATES HUGE FIRE DISASTERS. You will not regret the time you spend doing this.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

We had a presentation of 21, 2 LITER BOTTLES of PULL TABS and two long chains of pull tabs for the Shriners Hospital for Children-Los Angeles from some of the girls of GIRL SCOUT TROOP 1106 HELENDALE CALIF. 8/21/2007. They and several other groups are going to band together and save tabs for us.The Photo and a Write up in Two(2) of the local newspapers. maybe this will encourage others to help out.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Not until the 18th tee did George McNeill finally show just how special a day he'd had, smiling and waving to the camera.

Minus fanfare or frills, the 32-year-old rookie won his first career PGA Tour title in commanding fashion Sunday, shooting a 5-under 67 for a 23-under 264 total and a four-stroke victory over D.J. Trahan in the Frys.com Open.

Now McNeill has something in common with Tiger Woods. In 1996, Woods also earned his first PGA Tour victory at this tournament.

"Any time you can be mentioned in the same sentence as him it's a good thing," McNeill said.

McNeill did it with his only bogey coming when he three-putted on the 18th green at TPC Summerlin with the crowd cheering and four scantily clad Las Vegas showgirls ready to offer their personal congratulations.

His trophy arrived from 5,000 feet above, carried by one of two hangliders who took part in the awards ceremony.

Only in Las Vegas.

"That whole saying about what (happens in Vegas) stays in Vegas, I hope my game travels," McNeill said, smiling. "I felt like I didn't do anything that special. It's nice to kind of buzz around and win by four and not feel like you're doing anything all that great."

McNeill did it with small galleries following him, save for a big group of his Florida buddies who showed up to play on their own starting Monday. He did it by maintaining that same calm demeanor from the start, an even keel personality more resembling a veteran than a first-time winner.

McNeill earned the winning share of $720,000 on a beautiful, clear day in the desert after strong wind played a big factor in Saturday in a tournament that featured not one top-20 player in the field.

McNeill, who last December won Q-school by five strokes, was coming off rounds of 66, 64 and 67. He began his final round at 18 under and five strokes ahead, matching the largest lead on the tour this year heading into a final round.

He secured his tour card for the next two years. All that after a discouraging stretch earlier this year when he missed six cuts and withdrew from one event in an eight-tournament span.

"I was trying not to think about all that stuff when I was out there playing," McNeill said. "I don't get too emotional. I'm having fun with this. It hasn't sunk in. ... In a sense, I know I have a job for the next two years and it takes the pressure off."

After Trahan — who shot a 66 — birdied the first four holes and then No. 9 to pull within three strokes, McNeill made a 15-footer for birdie on No. 11 and also birdied 13 and 14. He sunk a 27 1/2-foot putt on the 156-yard 14th.

Robert Garrigus shot a 70 to tie for third with Cameron Beckman (68) at 15 under after Garrigus started the day in the top group and tied with Trahan for second.

Las Vegan Bob May, who led after the first day, tied for fifth with a 69 to finish at 14 under — a nice showing for May considering he has dealt with back injuries for years now and is still on the comeback trail.

The 39-year-old May returned to the PGA Tour last year for the first time since 2003. He played 2006 on a major medical extension after not swinging a club for two-plus years because of his back.

After McNeill pulled his tee shot on No. 6 left and about a foot into a rocky and sandy desert area, he consulted a rules official about his options regarding the moveable obstruction.

He picked up a small rock just behind his ball, moved away a couple of others as well as a pine cone, then chipped onto the green for a chance at birdie — and had to be happy just to save par.

McNeill, who spent last year working in a golf shop before rediscovering his desire to compete, made only two birdies on the front nine but played his best golf over the final nine holes. He birdied four of his final eight holes.

Tournament chairman Gary Davis announced that Shriners Hospitals for Children is the new title sponsor, signing a five-year commitment to keep the tournament in Las Vegas through 2013. Its name: the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. The format will change starting next year from a Pro-Am to an all-pro event for the four days of competition, with a celebrity Pro-Am to take place Wednesday. All rounds will be played on the Summerlin course after groups split between it and nearby TPC The Canyons for the first two days.

The Shriners — who also hope this will bring their hospitals more recognition — are pledging $6 million to run the event each year, while also seeking other sponsors to help.

"The PGA Tour is her in Las Vegas to stay," said Davis, determined to find a way to bring in more big names. "Everybody agreed it needs to stay in Las Vegas. That's the first step toward major sports in Southern Nevada."

The tournament will remain in October for now, but organizers hope to eventually move to the spring. Davis said the purse would stay at $4 million.

Shriners from Apple Valley, Corona and Los Nietos Shrine Clubs unloaded their mini-cars at Willow Springs raceway this week.They were there to put their shrine parade cars though a battery of tests just like the big cars do for a car magazine(to be named at a later date. So keep reading this blog).

The Nobles(and some of their wives)arrived about 9:30am and put in a full day running their cars and getting their pictures taken(even the ugly cars). It was a long day the final pictures were shot about 6:30pm.

It was hoped that everyone had some fun, we won't know who we will see in the magazine for a few months. At the time of publication I will list everyone that was there that day.

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

We had a great time at the Morro Bay HarborFestival with the Shrine Hospital Traveling Display trailer and the Child ID Booth.I did over 300 Id's. Bill Hutchison will get you the figures on the trailer visitors. As close as I canremember it was @ 150. Dave Stinebaugh

I am waiting for more reports on Paso Robles Pioneer Days parade. The El Bekal Tin Lizzies said they had a great time.

No report from Banning Parade, Redondo Harbor days.I did have a great time at the Wedding Reception for one of my Job's Daughters in Cambria

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Shriners Hospitals for Children Deploys Bricsnet ProjectCenter to Orchestrate a $73 Million Dollar Replacement Hospital in Honolulu

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bricsnet, a leading provider of technology solutions for the real estate, architecture, engineering and construction industries, announced today that Honolulu Hospital will deploy Project Center to manage a $73 million dollar replacement project. As one of 22 Shriners hospitals in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the Honolulu Hospital is the second oldest, established in 1923. Reconstructed in the 1960s with an addition in 1992, the hospital provides orthopedic healthcare to over 23,000 children from Hawaii and 17 other countries in the Pacific Basin.

“This project has high visibility and is really important to the community. We chose Bricsnet to facilitate collaboration, creativity and efficiency for the design and construction teams because Project Center is a trusted, proven, solution that delivers in short order,” says Tom Ochab, Director of Facilities Management for Shriners Hospitals.

The scope of the project included visioning, programming, site/building condition assessment and strategies for future development. A study evaluated facility and departmental needs for the next 10 years and provided options for either renovating or replacing the hospital. The renovation project is the second largest project Bricsnet successfully completed for Shiners. To date, the largest Bricsnet implementation for Shiners is Project Center for a replacement hospital in Mexico City.

The Honolulu project is a phased replacement. The design of the new 6.58 acre campus will expand and modernize the facilities from its present 86,000 square feet to approximately 150,000 square feet. Ferraro Choi and Associates LTD teamed with the prime architectural firm of SRG Partnership Inc. to design the replacement hospital. The new 24-bed hospital will allow Shriners Hospitals for Children to fulfill its mission and meet the future needs of patients as the premier Pediatric Orthopedic Hospital in the State of Hawaii.

ProjectCenter is a long-trusted solution for the global architectural, engineering and construction communities. First launched in 1998, Project Center was one of the first web-based solutions for managing projects online. Today, hundreds of Fortune 500 companies, architects, construction companies and engineering firms around the world succeed with Bricsnet Project Center.

About Bricsnet

Bricsnet’s business was founded in 1986 and helps large corporations improve profits by more effectively managing all aspects of the workplace (including buildings, land, space, people, assets and systems). Bricsnet Project Center is an easy to use, online system for project management and collaboration. In addition, Bricsnet offers Bricsnet Enterprise and Bricsnet Retail, leading real estate management systems that -- along with Bricsnet Strategic Advisory Services -- provide fast, pragmatic and innovative solutions to increase shareholder value. For more information, contact Bricsnet at 415-321-2650 or visit www.bricsnet.com.